Only the shocks had kept coming because not only was her mother’s boys here, but her mother herself stood in her front yard. What the hell? Annie thought.
“Mother?” She asked.
“Daughter.” Her mother smiled at her.
“Wh-what…why are you here?” Annie couldn’t believe that she was standing here in front of her. Her mother was here.
“Did you think we’d let you stay ‘ere with bikers, who might be holding you against your will, gel?” Her mother asked, her lips pursing in a thin line.
“I told you I was fine.”
“You did, but I didn’t know if you were being forced to tell me that.”
“Nobody was forcing me, mother. I’m happy here.” Annie told her, looking back at Tank. He moved forward wrapping an arm around her waist as if sensing that she needed his support to keep from falling apart. This was the nicest thing her mother had ever done for her.
“I can see that.” Her mother said, surprised filling her eyes as she took in Tank holding her.
“She didn’t think we’d come after her, Lou.” Rico complained. Geez, he was such a momma’s boy. Her mother had found him when he was fourteen and took him in, and he’d worshiped her ever since.
“Well, that’s likely my fault, Rico.” Louise said, looking at her daughter with regret in her eyes. “It is, isn’t it, gel”
“Well, I didn’t really expect you to be broken up about me not coming back, but I know you care if I’m alive or not.” Annie said hedging.
“Ha, you thought I didn’t care at all.” Her mother accused.
“Maybe,” Annie clutched Tank’s arm, making him hold her tighter.
“Well, I do, gel. I love you, and maybe I was too hard on you. I can see that, now.”
“Mom, it’s fine”
“No, baby. It’s not fine. I should have made sure you knew you were loved, and then I wouldn’t be standing ‘ere knowing that I caused the rift that now stands between us.” Louise’s eyes were filled with a fine sheen of tears, and she looked like she was going to break at any moment. Tank felt his own chest squeeze. Annie hadn’t known that these people loved her almost as much as he and the club did. She was about to learn that she’d always had a family, even when she didn’t know it. Of course, that was too fucking bad. He knew that what he’d said to Rico a little while ago was true. She’d claimed them as much as they’d claimed her, and she wasn’t going anywhere. At least not while he was still breathing.
“I just didn’t ever want you to have to feel lost, but now I see that in trying to stop that I made you feel lost in another, much worse way.”
“No, mom. Really, it’s okay. I knew you loved me in your own way.” Annie said, moving towards her mother hugging her.
“When I was fifteen your grandfather died. I was left alone there was nobody for me to turn to. It was rough. I didn’t know what to do, my father had always done everything to protect me, but he didn’t plan on him dying before I could learn to fend for myself. It was hard to find food and I nearly starved before I finally found work. Then I began to save and bought the first shipment of guns and from there I built this business from the ground up. Then thought of you ever having to do some of the things I did to find food, horrified me. I never wanted you to ever have to feel that desperate. So, I made a choice to raise you not to be dependent on me to bail you out of every scrape.” Her mother paused, holding her hand against Annie’s face. She looked over Annie’s shoulder at him.
“I see that I may have been too extreme in my zeal to make you independent, though.” Her mother looked down at her, and Annie was surprised at how upset she looked. Her mother really must care about her, and she had just been trying to protect her.
“Mom, I turned out fine.” Annie assured her. Not wanting to admit to her mother with that heartbroken look on her face that she’d lived a lonely childhood.
“I know, gel. I raised you.” She pronounced proudly.
Laughing, Annie hugged her again. “I’m staying here, you know.” She said firmly.
“Yeah, that patch you’re wearing told me that. As well as the way your young man watches you like you’re his whole world does. He’s a keeper, gel.” Louise whispered, looking at the man who was her lover, her husband.
“I know, and I will be keeping him.” Annie said, loudly. Tank turned away from where he’d been watching Bone enter the yard, and smiled from ear to ear at her.
“That’s good, sweetheart. I didn’t want to have to kill all of these men tonight, I’m kinda tired.” He was only half joking about that, and they both knew it. If Tank had to he’d take on an army to keep her. That thought made Annie feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside, even as it made her think she might just be as crazy as her mother for feeling that way.
Bone finally made it to them, looking around at the men surrounding them, he asked, “Is there a problem, or are we good.”
“We’re good,” Tank replied, then gestured to her mother. “Bone, meet Louie.”
“Ah, I see. Nice to meet you.” Bone held out his hand and her mother took it.
“Hello.”
“So, now that everything is settled, maybe you and I can talk some about business?” Bone asked.
“Is that what you want my daughter for young man, cause if it is I will castrate you.” Louise told him with a glare.
“My old lady would not like that much, and she might just skin you alive for suggesting that.” Bone said, glaring at her mother.
Oh dear, here she went again, making enemies. Her mother needed to work on her people skills, Annie thought. Even as she had that thought her heart squeezed a bit at the thought that her mother was right, at least on the rest of the clubs part. She knew Tank was different, he didn’t give a fuck who her mother was.
“Besides, you leave here and I will not think of you again. It doesn’t matter if you work with us, or not. But let me tell you that Annie strays here, she’s ours now. And what we own we keep, and that will never be negotiable. When we make people family, they stay family. So, leave or stay, doesn’t fucking matter, but I’d like to know how the fuck the Jackal’s are getting your guns. I thought maybe we could help with that, but if that doesn’t concern you, then what ever.” Bone met Annie eyes with his, and she felt that warmth again, except not the same as when Tank claimed her. This was the warmth she’d feel for a brother. And she was touched that even if her mother wasn’t who she was she’d still be accepted here. She was truly a Red Devil now, and it had nothing to do with being Tank’s property. It was kinda nice feeling like you had a home and people who truly loved you, just the way you were.
“Fine, I’d like to know the answer to that question as well.” Her mother replied. Annie’s only thought was, ‘uh-oh’ because neither Bone nor Tank realized what they were getting themselves into.
Annie bent forward stretching out her back. She’d been gardening for the past two hours, and had just come in to take a shower. Tank had gone on a gun run with her mother and several Red Devils, about twelve hours ago. The last month had passed in a blur of happiness. Her mother was around a lot lately, which drove Tank crazy. He wasn’t liking her always showing up unexpectedly, but that was just who her mother was.
Annie knew that part of the reason was that it annoyed Tank, but the other reason was that she was trying to repair their relationship. Smiling, she took off the gloves setting them on the counter. She heard the door fly open, and then slam shut. Tank was home, and he didn’t sound happy. He walked into the kitchen where she was standing with a dark glower on his face.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” She asked. “Was it really necessary to slam the door like that?”
“Your mother!” He roared, moving towards her with a fierce expression. He threw his hands up. “That woman is crazy as fuck!”
Annie almost laughed, but attempted to hold it in because he looked so upset. “What did she do?”
“That insane woman just shot the man we were delivering the
guns to in the head. There was no warning.” Tank glared at her as if it were her fault her mother was crazy, coming to a stop with his hands on either side of her resting on the counter. “It was freaky. She walked in with Rico, Tim, Bone and I like always. Then suddenly, she just pulled her gun out and casually shoots the man right between the eyes.”
Annie couldn’t hold it in anymore and snorted out a laugh, “Yeah, she does that.”
Tank looked at her like she was just as mad as her mother. “That’s all you have to say? ‘She does that’ really, that’s all you have to say?” He demanded.
“Well, if it makes you feel any better she usually has a good reason. If you look into him he probably beat his kids or his wife. Or something equally as horrible.” Annie explained, feeling his eyes watching her.
“No, that does not make me feel better, Annie. She could have gotten us all killed. There were five other men in the room. If Rico and Tim hadn’t been there we would all be dead.” He roared.
“Geez, don’t be so dramatic.” Annie sighed, he’d been the one to insist that he work with her mother, not her. She’d told him it wouldn’t be a good idea, but had the man listened to her. No, so she felt little sympathy for him now. She knew her mother, and she’d had every move choreographed before she’d entered that room. Tank just thought her mother had left that kill to chance, but she knew better. Her mother never took chances.
“I’m not being dramatic. The woman is nuts!” He leaned forward crowding her. Tank had been truly stunned when Annie’s mother had pulled a gun out and shot the man they’d been there to meet as nicely as you pleased. Before he or Bone could react, the other two men had already shot all four of the other men in the room. Tank would guess that was because she’d either warned them, or they were used to her craziness. His only consolation was knowing Bone had been as surprised as he had been.
“Ha, and this is my fault how? I told you not to work with her, Tank. You insisted.” She pushed against his chest trying to make him move back, not that she minded his big body pushing against hers. Especially the hard thickness that press to her belly, but he was acting like a bully and she wasn’t going to allow that.
“It’s your fault because you didn’t warn me that she was crazy.” Tank growled kissing her eyes, then her nose. His hands coming to rest on her hips.
“I told you she was unpredictable.” Annie moaned as his tongue slid over a love bite he’d just made on her neck.
“That’s the understatement of the year.” He growled, pulling at her shirt. Becoming less interested in talking about her mother, and more interest in taking his woman to bed.
“Stop, I need a shower. I’ve been working in the yard and smell awful.” The man pulled back looking at her with a gleam she’d become very familiar with in the last few months.
“Humm…yes, let’s go get you cleaned up, sweetheart.” This past month had left him feeling happier than he’d ever been in his life. Annie made him happy, and she was all he needed. He was glad that he’d gone to the diner that day to eat. If he hadn’t he’d have missed meeting her on the road, and some other schmuck in this club might be the one touching her now, the one who had his patch on her, and that thought made his breath catch in angry apprehension. Only the fact that he’d stopped at that diner had allowed him to find her. She was his, which made his breath even out, and he decided this discussion of her mother and her mental illness could wait. He needed to be inside her, and soon.
“You do know that I am capable of taking a shower by myself don’t you?” Annie asked with a laugh, as he lifted her, scooping her over his shoulder, again. This was such an undignified position for her to find herself in. Yet, she found that nearly once a week she ended up over his shoulder being carried somewhere. She sighed, it was tough work being the old lady to the Red Devil’s vice president.
“Would you put me down, you neanderthal!” Annie screech, even knowing it would do no good to yell at him.
“Nope, you gotta get clean and I have to make sure that you remember not to let me work with your mother from now on. When you were telling me it wasn’t a good idea some examples of why I shouldn’t work with her would have been nice.” Tank said, holding on to her thick thighs, and headed up the stairs to their bathroom, his hand moving to caress her ass.
“Ha, you should just listen to me!”
“Shush, woman.” Tank said, his hand landing lightly on her ass, making her tingle all over. She laughed, yeah it was good to be home finally, after all these years of waiting for it. She was finally home.
Other books
For more information on upcoming releases sign up for new release notifications in the coming soon section of my web site:
https://sites.google.com/site/romancebymichellewoods/
Or friend me on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/romance.michelle.woods
Red Devils Series
Taming Lucca
Book 1: Molly and Bone’s story
Out now Amazon.com
Claiming Racheal
Book 2: Racheal and Tiny’s story
Out now at Amazon.com
Catching Trick
Book 3: Trick and Katie’s story
Out now at Amazon.com
Finding Charity
Book 5: Tick and Charity’s story
Coming in 2014
The Aurora
New Series
Out 2014
Preview on next page
Thank you for taking time to read Tank’s Redemption. If you enjoyed it, please consider posting a short review. Word of mouth is an author’s best friend and much appreciated.
The Aurora
Six Months Ago
Swinging her sword, she sliced the head from one demon, even as she blocked the blow of another with her second sword. The wind rushed through the trees, shaking branches, and dead leaves fell in a shower around the battle that raged. Lighting lit the sky, casting shadows across the forest floor. The rain pounded down, making her movements sloppier than usual. She stumbled slightly as the third demon tried to grab her from behind. Managing to whirl, she sliced off the arm that had been reaching for her. The demon screamed and fell to the ground. His other hand, equipped with lethal claws tried desperately to grab the missing appendage. She quickly took his head before he was able to reattach the arm. Watching in disinterest as it fell to the ground. The Aurora, panted, her body near exhaustion from the fight.
Thunder rumbled, masking the approaching demon’s roar. It charged at her from behind, sensing it at the last second, she moved out of the demons path. Using his momentum when he moved past to slice his head off, too. Her chest rose and fell with excretion, her hair a wet nest of thick curls, she pushed the heavy fall from her face, smearing it with demon blood.
Looking around for the last demon, she spotted Kara lying on the ground nearby instead, and wanted to cry. Where was that damned demon? She knew that she’d knocked it out when she’d blinked in. Hearing Kara’s mental call for aid, she’d come to help her friend. She’d traveled across the distance to help Kara, only to discover that she’d been too late, again. Too late to save her friend, her third adviser, the youngest one. Kara should have had a thousand years, or more left to live. Only now she was dead. Just as Lani and Tessa were dead.
The murderous rage that boiled inside her when she’d seen Kara lying there, in the mud, lifeless, had frightened her with its violence. She’d felt the black auras that surrounded the demons, and smelled the metallic smell of evil blowing towards her on the wind. She knew that even if the demons hadn’t been coated with evil, she would have killed them anyway, for Kara. Her heart was bursting in pain from the loss she felt. Her searching eyes landed on the last demon, lying on the ground unconscious and bleeding. She‘d dealt the blow from behind when she’d first arrived. Glaring at the dimly lit prone form, she wanted to kill these demons, again. Her rage was a living breathing thing inside her, as she looked at them littering the forest floor.
/> Thunder roared again, and lightning filled the darkness with light, casting her shadow over the demons. The branches moved like giant sinister arms reaching out to grab her. She watched them play for a moment, then moving to the demon, she raised her sword. She cleanly sliced this demons head off, too. She felt no remorse, taking its head. After all it was the only way to kill a stone demon. As long as their spinal cord was intact they could regenerate from almost anything. Not for nothing, were they considered one of the hardest demons to kill.
That was why seven were too many for one slayer to handle. Unless that slayer was her. She wasn’t bound by the same rules. She wasn’t immortal, but she was as close as a human could get. It was her blood. The blood of a true slayer, the queen. She snorted, she wasn’t a queen. Although, they called her that. Nope, she was a failure.
She stumbled to her lifeless warrior’s body. This proved she was a failure, she thought. Falling to her knees beside Kara. Not caring that mud soaked into her white pants, nor did she care that the blood covering Kara’s body from the many wounds inflicted upon her, would never wash from the pale blue cashmere sweater she wore. All she knew was that Kara was gone from this life. Sweet, funny Kara. One of her best friends, and now she was gone. With an aching heart, she pulled her onto her lap. Brushing the hair from her beloved face, her mind was crying out in anguish. It wasn’t fair that Kara was dead. It was her fault, again. The pouring rain continued, but she didn’t feel its cold caress. Didn’t heed the numbness that filled her very bones. All she knew was that the heavy pain of her loss was crushing her. Her chest ached, at the passing of another friend.
Tank's Redemption: Red Devils M.C. (Red Devils MC Book 4) Page 15
